<br />

Cashias Gumbo, sommelier at The Saxon and previously at The Collection by Liz McGrath, is the first to benefit from a new three-year sponsorship for a sommelier from a previously disadvantaged background to attend the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy.

The funding of R10,000 per year is provided by Guala Closures SA, part of the leading international aluminium and non-refillable closures and anti-counterfeiting technologies group, and covers tuition, accommodation and travel.

The Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy was established in 2007 and runs in conjunction with the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town, at which leading wine judge and author Michael Fridjhon is a visiting professor. The intense three-day programme is held once a year to assist people in the wine profession to judge and assess wine quickly and correctly.

Guala MD Giuseppe Carosini says: “This sponsorship is Guala Closures’ way of giving back to an industry we also serve. We are committed to a better wine industry and by sponsoring a sommelier per year, we are changing the industry and lives for the better and to the benefit of all.”

“Sponsoring a student each year for the next three years is a clear investment in the future of the South African wine industry and a sign that a key supplier of quality closures is not just taking revenue from the country, but also putting something back,” comments Michael Fridjhon.

"The course offers something unique and of value to any person working in the wine industry who wants and needs to learn more.”